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Nancy Guthrie update: Pima County Sheriff's ‘troubling’ new statement raises concerns
The ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie coincides with scrutiny of Sheriff Chris Nanos, who is accused of misrepresenting his past.
The ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today host Savannah Guthrie, continues nearly three months after her disappearance from her residence in the Catalina Foothills of Tucson, AZ.
As discussions about Guthrie continue in the area, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos finds himself back in the news as his controversial past comes to light.
At the end of last month, the Board of Supervisors in the county unanimously voted to require Nanos to respond to inquiries regarding whether he misrepresented his record as a young police officer in El Paso, TX.
In a comprehensive 22-page document submitted by his attorney, Nanos refuted claims that he had misrepresented his employment history with the El Paso Police Department. He also justified his choice to place an employee on administrative leave while she ran against him in the 2024 election.
Nanos' response seemed ‘problematic’
Meanwhile, District 2 Supervisor Matt Heinz spoke to AZPM, saying that “I find the responses problematic.”
“The core thing that I’m most concerned about, and baffled by, is that (Nanos) chose to submit these 20 pages unsworn,” Heinz remarked. “The statute requires that this be under oath, and he did not do that by the deadline.”
In the document from Nanos’ attorney, there is no evidence that the sheriff’s statements were made under oath.
“This must be under oath. That’s what the statute requires,” Heinz stated. “I don’t know if he’s refusing to do so, or isn’t comfortable doing so, or what. But that is troubling.”
Can Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos be terminated from office?
Fellow supervisor Jen Allen expressed her concerns regarding the responses, stating that several issues were “downplayed”.
AZPM reported that when the supervisors instructed Nanos to provide a report concerning his duties and work history, they did so in accordance with ARS 11-253 — an Arizona statute that permits supervisors to request sworn statements from county officials.
“If a report is not made, then the position can be vacated. But there is no precedent that describes how that happens, what that looks like. So it’s incredibly mushy,” Allen remarked before indicating that it would be a “stretch” to remove Nanos.
In contrast, Nanos’ attorney, James Cool, contended that the supervisors never requested sworn testimony or required the response to be made under oath.
“Your letter dated April 8, 2026, inviting the sheriff to provide a written report on four discrete topics, does not request the report be made ‘under oath,’” Cool said. “Indeed, the words ‘under oath’ or ‘sworn’ do not appear in your letter.”
As questions regarding Nanos’ future role in the case continue, he remains in his position as sheriff of Pima County.
